Tuesday, February 23, 2010

I have been trying my hand at bronzer recently, and I have to admit that I am not sure if it is for me. I guess the rest of my body would actually have to be tan for this to really work? Can you even tell I used it lol? Here is my face today with a fun green from my Urban Decay Deluxe Palette.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

....... of a shelf in my bedroom. I cleared it off and took down the picture above it. I found the clock and flower at Target, and the book was taken from my living room bookshelf.

I haven't done much else with my decorating project yet. I am dreading pulling out the paint cans and spackle, but this is a very small project compared to the work my husband and I have done in the rest of this house.

I was excited to receive shipping confirmation from MAC last night for my recent order. I was even more excited to click the tracking number and find out it would be delivered this morning! MAC is always extremely fast, and the recent snow did not slow them down much.

The lustre formula is sheer, but it can be layered for a deeper look. Gaga is a light, cool, blue based pink. Cyndi is a warm, slightly pinked sheer red.

The packaging:

Gaga is a bit darker pink in real life:

Here are my lips with nothing for reference :

Gaga:

Cyndi :

Cyndi is definitely my favorite of the two. It can be applied with a lighter hand for a stained look as well. I want to try some gloss over Gaga to tone down the coolness, but it is a nice baby pink color that I was lacking. Overall I am very happy with these colors in the Viva Glam line!

Sunday, February 14, 2010

#1 MAC Azalea Blossom Blush Ombre - I love MAC Beauty Powders, and this is said to be similar in texture. They are smooth, sheer but buildable, and larger than the standard MAC blush. I love the gradient color which can be used separately or swirled together. It is described as a light cool pink. If it has a lavender tone, I am sold. I have been looking for a cool toned lavender pink blush for awhile now.#2 Clinique All Over Color in Mixed Beries - I am a huge fan of Clinique's Fresh Bloom All Over Face Colors. This looks like it would give a nice berry glow, and could also be used for subtle eyeshadow colors separately. Look at the cute design too! These tend to give a soft sheeen and never a chunky glittery finish like Bobbi Brown Shimmerbricks or MAC Mineralized Skin Finishes. #3 Essie Art Of Spring Spring 2010 - I have a collection full of deep colors from Fall, so I am loving the look of Spring's pastel shades. I might pick up the pale lavender Lilacism and the soft Pop Art Pink. A coral might be in order too!

I love me some Target! My Mom gave me a $20 gift card for my birthday, along with a roasting pan which I had purchased just three weeks earlier. Oops! With that return, I now have about $40 burning a hole in my pocket.

I saw these last night and I think they may be the perfect finish to my bedroom (which my husband hates). I love birds, possibly too much. I think I will be the crazy old lady whose house kids are scared to come into.

I will try to take some pictures of my bedroom later this week after I finish it up! I also got a nice shower curtain for $6, so I plan to do a bathroom overhaul on the cheap for my master bathroom. It is currently aqua, and not at all how I pictured it in my head.

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Well, it took about 4 days longer than expected because of this snow, but my Bobbi Brown package is here. I ordered Cabo Coral Pot Rouge, Pink Quartz Shimmerbrick, and a four pan palette. I also used a code for a free Heather lip gloss.

I love Pot Rouges. They are sheer, non sticky, and so natural. The pot is sleek and the opening is big enough to easily use a brush. I use a small skunk brush to build the color and blend. I also put some on my lips and topped it with MAC Instant Gold Lustreglass. Here is my FOTD with Cabo Coral:

On to the Shimmerbrick..... Not a fan. The shimmer is overwhelming. My MAC MSFs are shimmery, but not as chunky. My Clinique Fresh Blooms are smooth and offer a natural sheen. I won't be keeping this, but here are some comparisons:

Thursday, February 11, 2010

I was in Professional Beauty Supply today hoping to see the OPI Hong Kong Collection in real life. I hold a cosmetology license, so I shop these stores occasionally for hair color and supplies.

No dice on the new collection, so I headed back to the clearance section. I saw a few Essie polishes I had wanted earlier this year. They were unmarked, so I took them up front to check the price. She scanned them, and told me 99 cents each. I'll take both!

Here are some bottle pics and swatches. Please ignore my terrible cuticles and nails. They are in bad shape this winter.

First peel and cube your potatoes. I prefer them on the smaller size, about 1 inch cubes.

Fill your pot with water until potatoes are covered, plus an inch or two. Salt and boil until tender.

In a large skillet or saucepan saute your diced celery and onions in the butter. During this step I usually eat a few spoonfuls as well. You know, to test it.

After the veggies are translucent (but not browned), add 4 tbs. of flour and "cook until bubbly". This is what the recipe card says. I just stir it for a few minutes to mix the flour well and incorporate it into the butter. It will bubble slightly.

Next add the milk and cheese and stir until thickened. This can take anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes.

Here are my two separate pots before combining:

You may want to drain some of the water out of your potatoes, but save it!! Combine the pots and add back potato water if necessary.

I use a wand style mixer next to blend up some chunks and thicken it. Salt and pepper to you taste. I also add a dash of Nature's Seasons.

I am still getting back into the swing of things after being without power for four days this weekend. We packed up the three boys and German Shepherd and headed to my sister in law's house. It was fun hanging out, but I am so glad to be back in my own house. I washed 5 loads of laundry yesterday and cleaned.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

I really am liking this lipstick sheered down with lip balm! And this Bare Escentuals shadow blows all of my MAC pigments out of the water. It is smooth, ultra pigmented, and so easy to apply. Maybe it is time to give my other BE shadows some love :)